North Manchester Board Member Resigns Abruptly
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Zachary Davidson-
Member Phil Enyeart left the meeting in the middle of session, and said he was turning in his resignation as he was being treated as a lesser member on the board.
This came after Enyeart motioned for the nomination of Vice President Steve Flack to become president, who in turn looked in the direction of Enyeart with confusion.
Enyeart said he was under the impression that the board would act on a rotation basis and Flack was next in line. Brian Schilling said the nomination was open to everyone, and nominated Sally Krouse, who was elected with near unanimous approval except for Enyeart’s final vote of dissension.
Schilling had served as president, and Krouse was legislative liaison.
Byron Brunn also was sworn in as a new member.
Also during the meeting, the North Manchester School Corporation announced new safety rules and policies Tuesday it enacted shortly after the Connecticut school shooting in December.
Town Marshal Jeffrey Perry put himself on a rotation at the schools, and Superintendent Bill Reichhart said staff had been putting in extra hours over the holiday break as the corporation came to grips with a new reality in operations.
Principal Nancy Alspaugh, of Manchester Junior-Senior High School, said the school atmosphere had changed, while Reichhart called it a “911” moment for him. The corporation is trying to take thoughtful approaches to thwart harmful actions against its students.
Students are now required to wear identification badges. Reichhart admitted that the badges seem like a simple precaution, but it had not been previously considered as necessary in such a small corporation where all the students are typically recognized.
Reichhart said that in the event of a lockdown or emergency at the school, the badges allow easy identification and account for students separating a possible intruder. Reichhart added that students are learning to remember their badges, but there has been compliance.
The front doors of the school are being locked during operating school hours. Cameras are being installed at the doors, and secretaries are taking more proactive steps to identify visitors.
There is consideration in permanently moving offices to the entrances, so that visitors enter the building through offices for identification before they enter the school and population, a system Warsaw Community High School already has in place.
In one parking lot, buses are being intentionally parked in such a way that would not allow a shooter a clean line of sight to escaping students.
Reichhart said, “I’m not going to say this can’t happen here, it can. But there’s a fine line between safety and turning the school into fortresses, and were not going to do that.”
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Member Phil Enyeart left the meeting in the middle of session, and said he was turning in his resignation as he was being treated as a lesser member on the board.
This came after Enyeart motioned for the nomination of Vice President Steve Flack to become president, who in turn looked in the direction of Enyeart with confusion.
Enyeart said he was under the impression that the board would act on a rotation basis and Flack was next in line. Brian Schilling said the nomination was open to everyone, and nominated Sally Krouse, who was elected with near unanimous approval except for Enyeart’s final vote of dissension.
Schilling had served as president, and Krouse was legislative liaison.
Byron Brunn also was sworn in as a new member.
Also during the meeting, the North Manchester School Corporation announced new safety rules and policies Tuesday it enacted shortly after the Connecticut school shooting in December.
Town Marshal Jeffrey Perry put himself on a rotation at the schools, and Superintendent Bill Reichhart said staff had been putting in extra hours over the holiday break as the corporation came to grips with a new reality in operations.
Principal Nancy Alspaugh, of Manchester Junior-Senior High School, said the school atmosphere had changed, while Reichhart called it a “911” moment for him. The corporation is trying to take thoughtful approaches to thwart harmful actions against its students.
Students are now required to wear identification badges. Reichhart admitted that the badges seem like a simple precaution, but it had not been previously considered as necessary in such a small corporation where all the students are typically recognized.
Reichhart said that in the event of a lockdown or emergency at the school, the badges allow easy identification and account for students separating a possible intruder. Reichhart added that students are learning to remember their badges, but there has been compliance.
The front doors of the school are being locked during operating school hours. Cameras are being installed at the doors, and secretaries are taking more proactive steps to identify visitors.
There is consideration in permanently moving offices to the entrances, so that visitors enter the building through offices for identification before they enter the school and population, a system Warsaw Community High School already has in place.
In one parking lot, buses are being intentionally parked in such a way that would not allow a shooter a clean line of sight to escaping students.
Reichhart said, “I’m not going to say this can’t happen here, it can. But there’s a fine line between safety and turning the school into fortresses, and were not going to do that.”
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